Hi I remember that factory as I lived in Nechells place at the time and hung around with a lad called Martin Shannon I think the woodhead family also lived in Cato st too, i would meet them at the top of the road on are way to bloomsbury st school my dad also drank in the Albion vaults. happy days

Hi Phil,This is an hard one to workout for me,as you know I came from this side of Nechells, Railway Terrace was only four streets away from the road I used to live on, having studied the photo that you have posted I think and I may be wrong on this statement. it is between High Park street and Long Acre?.the reason why is the roof of a large building to the left of the pic looks like the backend of the Methodist church in Long Acre here is a link to a photo of the church I mean http://www.birminghamforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=2897.0 or it could possibly be the roof of L H Newtons?

The member that requested any photos of Railway Terrace was Phil48

pud

Pudding, Looking at the pitch of that roof and comparing to the Church and Newtons, I'd say it was the latter. I think the photo was taken near High park St junction. Further down and I'd be able to see my Auntie Alma's shop. I went to the Newton's Social Club a few times when I worked in the Maintenance shop there and the entrance was just a spit from Railway Terrace.

phil thanks for the picture of railway terrace #2390 looking at my ordanance survey map i think the building in background is the methodist chapel in long acre these pictures are great i am begining to get a picture of my childhood area i hope you dont mind me downloading these photos phil?steve would your aunty almas shop have been COLLINS on the corner of railway terrace/long acre or FLETCHERS on the opposite side of railway terrace a few doors from the mitre!phil

Phil I'm not certain it's the Chapel. For one it would have to be of a great length to be visible near the corner of High Park St. Secondly the height, it's not as tall as the factory roof. The angle of that roof does not match, to be the back of the Chapel there would have had to have been an additional building added crosswise to the main one. I think we should consider these points before deciding. I wonder if MJ can help out here?

My Auntie's shop was on the opposite side from the Mitre, and a few doors up from Long Acre. Her name was Alma Griffiths. Her husband Ron was a regular at the Mitre. She ran the shop from around 1955 until some time in the 60's at least. We lost touch when we moved.

I live in Yorkshire now but Nechells haunts my dreams.My Nan lived on the corner of Johnson Street/Cattles Grove - over the road from The Woodman Pub - and I spent most of my playtime in this area. We lived in Aston Church Road but spent a lot of time at Nans 1960 to 1970 really before they were moved out and the area was redeveloped.

I knew that area like the back of my hand, went to school at St Josephs and then Duddeston Manor.

What a playground we had, the large wasteland on the corner of Mount Street/Cattles Grove, smaller pockets of waste ground nearby. Lots of old empty houses to explore (and get scared in!) Streets mostly devoid of cars, only the rag and bone man to worry about with his horse and cart.

That sounds terrible really, waste ground... but the kids were happy enough. Nothing better than digging a big hole (or a tunnel - dangerous), building a den (plenty of material about).. collecting for the bonfire...

And even though we were 6, 7, 8, 9 10 years old.. we roamed freely, no one thought anything of it really.

And the people were gold generally. The old story about doors not being locked was true. Nobody in Cattles Grove locked their door during the day.. what was there to steal??

My Grandad spent most of his life in the Woodman. He'd tell my Nan he was just going to the loo... (outside of course) and we wouldn't see him for 5 hours.Outdoor toilets! SHARED outdoor toilets..!!!! .. up the yard.

Frozen in winter... hot water required...

What a nightmare.

Everything still had the feel of World War II about it even in the 60's. Street lighting like something out the lion the witch and the wardrobe.